Letters to the editor: Candidate response

Although I disagree with your endorsement in the District 4 County Commission race, I believe that you were correct regarding my ability to lead.

I have spent a lifetime in public service, both as a member of the U.S. Air Force and during my 24-year career with the Tampa Police Department. Whether commanding fellow airmen or creating and implementing programs to take dangerous criminals off the streets, I have always allowed my actions to lead. It is my opinion that sometimes what is needed is a shot of leadership — someone to stand up for what is right when it is unpopular. I am that person.

Platitudes work fine in elections, but results are what matter once elected. I urge the voters to choose action over words.

Rick Cochran

Sun City Center

The writer is a Republican candidate for Hillsborough County Commission, District 4.

Candidate response

Regarding “Shimberg, Snively and Meckley for School Board,” Our Views, July 19):

With over two decades as a professional educator, I have experience in all phases of the educational process. It is essential, given the state of the Hillsborough County School Board, that our School Board members have experience that includes classroom teaching, higher education, research, policy and educational leadership. I am the only candidate in Hillsborough County with this experience. I work with public schools every day, and the results of my commitment to public education can be seen through the number of dedicated and highly effective teachers I have trained through my work at USF.

Although I disagree with the endorsement by the Tribune’s editorial board, I appreciate the opportunity to submit this rebuttal. I know that regardless of the politics involved in this race, we must elect someone with the experience and ability to effect positive outcomes.

Stacy A. Hahn, Ph.D.

Tampa

The writer is a candidate for Hillsborough County School Board, District 6.

Plug the leaks

Arguing about what to do about the illegal immigrants is like the Dutch arguing about what to do with the water that came through the dikes instead of plugging the leaks.

Terry A. Larson

Seffner

Putin not to be trusted

I have just returned from a 27-day trip to what was once known as Eastern Germany, which was under the control of Russia during the Cold War and was only released from its grip in 1989 with the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the tearing down of the Berlin Wall. Vladimir Putin was a KGB agent in Eastern Germany during the Cold War. The hatred for Russian President Putin in what was Eastern Germany is so deep as to be unimaginable.

Everyone I spoke with has nothing but disdain for the man. Many times it was brought up how he treated German Chancellor Angela Merkel during a negotiation meeting between the two in Moscow. Putin was aware that Merkel had a fear of dogs, as she was badly bitten by one as a child. Putin had his pet dogs placed in the room next to Merkel so as to intimidate her. To top that, he presented her with a small dog as a gift. The week that I returned to the United States, a Malaysian plane was shot down, which, at the present time, seems to point to Russian involvement. This action by the pro-Russian separatists brings to mind a staged attack by the Nazis called the Gleiwitz Incident. The Nazis staged an attack on a German radio station to make it appear as if the Poles had taken over the station. The next day Hitler, using this as an excuse, invaded Poland.

Russian President Putin is not to be trusted by any means. He will eventually devise an excuse to invade Ukraine. He cannot bear to have a Western-style government that close to Russia and his naval base on the Baltic Sea.

L. Dennis Craig

Tampa

Pay to save

Donald Trump was just on Fox News stating that it costs the New York City area $6 million — airport, police, security and lost revenue due to blocked streets, etc. — when the president visits NYC, and his recent fundraiser raised only $1 million. If true, it would be cheaper for the city to give the DNC a million so they can save $5 million.

John Hutchinson

Tampa

A necessary deterrent

I find the letter by Nora S. Wilhide of Sun City Center on July 19 (“Name names,” Your Views) to be a little bit irrational when she says she wants the name of any person running for office who takes money from the NRA. First, the NRA encourages anyone owning a firearm of any caliber in this country to handle such weapons in a responsible manner and to be trained properly in their use. You can’t carry a concealed weapon without the proper permit issued by the state. If you do you can be imprisoned for five years. You can’t have a firearm on school property or at any government meeting on the city, county or state level. You can’t carry one in a bar or at a sports event. You can’t even point a gun at a person you may be arguing with, even if it’s unloaded. If you do, you go to jail for three years with no shortening of internment upon conviction.

Finally, somebody should provide the total number of lives saved by the citizens of this state because they had a license to carry and were attacked by a person who had a gun illegally in his or her possession. An armed citizenry can be a deterrent to criminals who obey no law at any time.

After a long run in the Tampa Tribune sports department, Joe Henderson now shares his thoughts on the people and places that make up daily life in our city.

Tom Jackson

Tom Jackson’s baseball card — if he had one — would report he throws left, writes right. In his columns and blog, “The Right Stuff,” southpaw Jackson provides insight into the evolving human condition from a distinctly conservative point of view.Column | Blog